Achi news desk-
Whether you’re studying for your own test or want to see how you compare to other potential drivers, you might be surprised at how basic some of these driving mistakes are.
Leading provider of discount vehicles for front line workers Motorfinity crunched the numbers.
Looking at government data, Motorfinity analyzed the main reasons for failure so that their test takers don’t fall victim to the same mistakes.
The most common driving mistakes that lead learner drivers to fail their tests
Here are the top 10 reasons why drivers fail their tests, according to Motorfinity research:
1. Poor observations at intersections
Learner drivers often fail their test because they haven’t made effective observations when approaching an intersection.
Whenever a car enters a new road, the driver must make sure it is safe to proceed by looking left and right – the same as entering a roundabout, swerving and looking ahead at an intersection.
2. Not checking enough mirrors
It doesn’t come naturally when you’re starting out on the roads, but not checking your mirrors regularly can be the difference between passing and failing.
Mirrors must be checked before signaling, changing speed, changing direction, along roundabouts and when changing lanes, and especially on the dual carriageway to prevent other cars from slowing down.
3. Wrong position when turning right
If the car is positioned too far to the left when turning right, traffic may be interrupted and cause delays and confusion; It is important to place the car as close to the center of the road as possible.
This also includes positioning the vehicle in the left lane at the roundabout when you want to turn right.
4. Incorrect response to traffic lights
Learners will fail their driving test immediately if they do not respond correctly to traffic lights.
Whether they are ignored or not, they see a red light and continue through it.
5. Lack of steering control
This includes not steering enough around a curve, steering too late when turning and mounting the pavement when stopping or parking.
6. Failure to exit safely
Like checking mirrors, this may not come naturally, but drivers must carry out a six-point check every time they want to move to make sure it’s safe to do so – this means checking mirrors as well as blind spots.
Drivers should also signal and pull out slowly if necessary, to avoid and alert approaching vehicles.
7. Incorrect response to traffic signs
It is not enough to be able to understand road signs when driving, new drivers must be able to quickly react to them.
Some of the most common signs that learners don’t respond to are ‘no trespassing’ signs, speed changes and improper driving in bus lanes.
8. Bad road location
Similar to wrong right turn positioning, general poor road positioning includes using the right lane unnecessarily and driving in the middle of the road.
9. Poor response to signals
Signals are used to show the driver’s intent, they are used to communicate with other road users and help ‘read the road’.
Slow responses to signals, or even ignoring signals such as indicators, brake lights, hazard lights, headlights, reverse lights and the car’s horn can have disastrous results.
10. Progress at an appropriate speed
One must drive at a speed appropriate to the road and traffic conditions, without impeding other road users.
Most learners will fail their driving test if they do not attempt to reach maximum speeds when it is safe to do so, slow down excessively and make slow progress through the gears.
Motorfinity CEO Daniel Briggs commented: “Every driver knows how nerve wracking your driving test is! You have to remember that your driving instructor wouldn’t let you take the test if you weren’t ready.
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“My top tip is to spend extra time before your test practicing these simple routines like ‘look, signal, position, speed, look’ – it sounds basic but it will get you into good habits.
“With an average driving lesson now costing £35 an hour, and learner drivers needing around 45 hours of professional instruction to pass their tests, the cost of learning to drive is over £1,500.
“With the cost of living crisis affecting more and more people, learning to drive needs to be more accessible, so it’s great to see the driving lesson grant getting media attention.”
